


Mist in the Morning

by blehgah



Category: Persona 4
Genre: F/F, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-22
Updated: 2013-04-22
Packaged: 2017-12-09 04:24:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/769950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blehgah/pseuds/blehgah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The protagonist wakes up before his alarm in early June. He decides to go on a walk and finds Chie in a contemplative mood. Implied Chie->Yukiko, Yosuke/MC.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mist in the Morning

You wake before your alarm can tear through the early morning quiet. Wind shifts branches outside, rolls through the short tufts of grass, rustles feathers of the birds outside, whispers "good morning" to your sleepy ears.

It takes some effort to sit up, but you do. Spring has started to subside, but for now the cool winds remain and you are so very thankful. A glance at your clock tells you that it is just a bit past five am. The fact that you can read it without having to blink several times is enough to tell you that there's probably no chance that you will be able to return to your previous state of sleep. That's alright, though; an early start isn't too much harm, anyhow.

Once you move to stand, aches come to life in your muscles, your bones, bruises protesting as you stretch. While you try your best to ignore the pain, you can't help the scowl that graces your features for a brief moment. It's nothing a hot shower can't help.

Normally you'd wait for Nanako to wake up so you can walk with her partway to school, but it turns out that your aches have developed into a slight limp. You'd prefer to walk it off alone. The house remains quiet as you prepare yourself a quick breakfast, and then you are out of the door.

Once you reach the flood plain, you breathe a quiet sigh of relief. It's empty; no elders taking walks in the misty morning, no students chattering as they traverse to school at their own leisurely pace, just the low murmur of the river and the distant sound of wildlife.

You remove your hands from your pockets and make your way to the riverbed. However, surprise slows your steps; of course it had been a bit naive to think you could have a moment of alone time, but it was a nice thought at first. But you pick up your pace once you recognize just who it is that is sharing your space.

Apparently your companion notices you too. Shoulders tense and, soon enough, she whips her head around to face you, identify you.

"Y-Yo!" she manages once her short hair has settled by her ears. Quickly, she works a smile onto her lips as you settle beside her. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Chie just laughs and rubs the back of her neck.

"I'm just... Y'know." She turns away from you, her gaze cast over the river. "I was out on my morning run and stopped here to... Try and think, I guess."

"Think about what?"

"Ah..." She trails off. That's alright, though. The both of you have time, plenty of time-- although the warmth of the morning sun is starting to chase away the mist at your feet, you know that it's still early. The voices of your peers have yet to break the air.

Chie draws her knees to her chest and sighs. "I'm... I'm thinking about Yukiko, to be honest." Her gaze remains on the water for a moment longer before she turns to face you. You haven't known each other for long - two months at best - but she gives you a searching look, her eyes too sincere, too honest. You feel touched and concerned all at once.

After maintaining your gaze for a while longer, she finally says, "I know we haven't been friends for a long time, but-- I trust you. You've seen my worst side, not to mention you've saved my life, and you stuck with me all this time--" she stops, catches her breath, then, "So-- I mean, I just-- I need someone to talk to, and you seem like-- you're trustworthy, I know it."

You manage a small smile as she trips over her words. A small flush rises to her cheeks, but she doesn't look away.

"And... somehow, I think you might know what I'm feeling." Her own smile surfaces as she finally averts her eyes. "You and Hanamura-- you're close already, I know. Ever since he moved here, he hasn't had friends that he's really-- clung to as much as you."

You raise an eyebrow even though you know Chie can't see your expression.

"It's like you're attached to the hip, you know? I guess it must have been that he needed someone after Konishi-sempai-- you know. But even so, it's... the way he looks at you, it's... it's different. And the way you look at him, well--" The smile on her face widens. "You need him just as much, don't you? I don't even need to tell you how he looks at you."

While you rack your brain for a response, you eventually come to the conclusion that it's not worth protesting. 

Chie sighs and folder her arms on top of her knees. "And it seems so natural for you guys. I can talk about it with you without having you freak out on me since, like, nothing seems to faze you, but if I talked to Hanamura about it? He'd leave so fast I wouldn't have time to figure out that the person I was talking to was only an after image. But that's totally normal too... Isn't it?"

This time she expects an answer, so you manage, "Yeah... Considering it's Yosuke, that's definitely predictable."

She chokes out a chuckle. "Y-Yeah, 'course... That's not what I meant, though."

"Oh?" Her eyes meet yours again. "Oh. Well... It's certainly a common reaction, at least."

Your answer only seems to perplex her. The brunette grumbles and buries her face in her arms. "Yeah, okay, I wasn't really sure what I was expecting to hear from you. But it just kinda... scares me to think about it. Because I don't know what I'd do if-- I mean, even if I _can_ protect her from creeps for _now_ , what happens when she meets a guy she actually wants to be with? Where will I be then?" Her voice drops to a whisper. "Alone...?"

Before you can reconsider your decision, you put your hand on her shoulder. You feel her tense, but she turns to look at you anyway. You shake your head.

"Of course not. Real friends are always there for each other, no matter what happens," you tell her, trying to be as firm as possible without going over the top. 

"I-I know, but..." She shrugs off your touch. "I don't know-- I don't know what I'd do with myself if she... and I never get the chance to, to..."

You let your hand drop to your side. The grass against your skin is cool, slightly damp, though your uniform has absorbed heat from the morning sun. With your practiced patience you wait for Chie to gather her thoughts.

Eventually she musters the courage to meet your eyes again. Her eyes flicker between both of yours, uncertain and still searching.

"Do you understand what I mean?" she asks. Her voice wavers, but she continues on, "I just... I can't be alone in this... I just need someone to understand, and tell me that..."

"It's going to be okay."

With that, her bottom lip quivers. As she begins to blink rapidly, her arms wrap around your shoulders loosely.

"How can you know? How can you say that?"

You rub her back and reply, "It's going to be okay because you're a strong girl, Chie. No matter what happens, you're still you, and you're still Yukiko's best friend."

Her voice is thick when she says your name against your shoulder. "...Thank you," she murmurs, "Thanks for putting up with me."

Footsteps in the distance interrupt her next train of thought as she looks over the hill. The brunette chews on her bottom lip before returning her gaze to yours.

"I mean, seriously, look at me. What a mess." With a chuckle, she moves to stand. As she brushes off grass from her uniform, she continues, "I just gotta hang in there, yeah. I just gotta pump myself up! No matter what, I'll protect her. No matter what, I'll be there for her!"

You bring yourself to your feet with a smile. She aims one right back at you.

"Let's do this! Let's catch the culprit so no one can hurt any one ever again, especially Yukiko!" 

And with that, she whoops and hops over the hill. At the top, she beckons you to walk with her to school.

When the two of you run into Yukiko at the entrance of the school, Chie eagerly joins her side. She sends you a quick wink over her shoulder before disappearing into the building.


End file.
